Now let’s not stop
at the first hurdle. Take a deep breath, be innovative, and rise up with the
momentum of the horse; or your project… Here is part 2.
Use what you’ve got
“Make the
most of what you have got.” Dr Murray Banks
Ask advice and search
inside yourself for ideas, courage, and wisdom.
Talk to someone close to you whom you can trust, when you're not sure what next to do.
About to fly off to
ProWein in Düsseldorf, Germany I ask a few friends to urgently put me in touch
with an instructor. Kathleen comes back to me, “Lana knows about horses and riding.
I couldn’t answer her questions. Call her.”
Do the work
“Try harder.” Anonymous
Nothing worthwhile
is easy or quick. Be prepared to put in lots of effort. Then get stuck into
what needs to be done, scheduling your whole project and breaking it up into
manageable compartments.
It’s two days
before my flight, with the shoot one month after I return. I call Joe: “I’ve
arranged classes for six days a week for a full month. Joey-Marie at Paarl
Diamant assured me that I’ll be able to do the rising trot by then.”
It’s all about prepping
“Be bold. Be helpful. Be a pleasure. Trust
& act on your instinct.” Anton Blignault
Get to where you
need to be in good time, and be well prepared. View your meeting / project from
your client’s point of view – what would they want to get out of it? Then
structure your answers / actions accordingly.
At first I’m a
visitor, arriving when my horse is saddled up. But very soon I get to understand
that I need to be there in advance of my lesson so that I can saddle up and
bridle my own horse. Apart from getting into the mood and relaxing me
completely, this becomes such a bonding experience with my horse, and
indirectly with my coach.
Get back up
“Failing
is a temporary condition; giving up makes it permanent.” Pierre Blignaut
Nothing is plain
sailing, expect difficulties and handle it. Try a different approach: focus on other
USP’s of your product, - on your POS and promotional programme, change your
pricing structure; but don’t give up at the first barrier.
We’re three students
in the ring doing jumps. This is a first for me and I’m totally lost. I’m just
obeying instructions and letting the horse go, she’s a natural... The girls are
experts too, and in front of me. To my right I see a whir of legs up in the air
and hear a thud behind me. Everyone stops and Joey-Marie runs to check up on
her. She gets up slowly and dusts herself off. “Ok, let’s get you back up
there,” Joey-Marie says as she holds the reins.
Et après
“Be consistent. Do what you say. Follow your heart.” Anton
Blignault
The meeting’s not
over when it’s over. The most important part is your briefing afterwards,
concluding your agreement, thanking your client for their time, and ensuring
them of looking after their business.
It’s not long
before that after my ride I need to take off the saddle, the blanket, the bridle,
and brush my horse. This is actually incredibly relaxing, for both me and the
horse; she absolutely loves the attention and I get to chat with whomever is
around, feeling like a seasoned rider.
Get attitude
“It
is the nature of man to rise to greatness if greatness is expected of him.”
John Steinbeck
No one will take
notice of you if you’re a wimp, neither will you get anywhere. Be sassy. Show
some grit.
Céline tells me
before our outride, “I’m putting on this helmet; but I have no intention of
falling off.”
Laugh at yourself
“Don’t
take yourself too seriously.” Anonymous
Take your work
seriously, but never forget that you’re fallible and that failure is a
necessary part of succeeding.
Our group is at the
dam after a long time in the saddle. Joey-Marie’s mom says, “Let’s first stop
to give the horses a drink.” We all wade into the water. A co-rider shouts at
me as my horse rears up and thrashes with its hoofs, “Watch out! He’s going to
go down!” Acting on instinct, I stand on my toes in the stirrups. The horse
disappears under the water and I jump off, straddling him. I’m totally soaked
up to my knees. With much joking of everyone around me I lead my horse to the shore
and remount.
Laugh it off
“It isn’t
worth winning if you don’t have to fight for it.” from ‘Cutting Edge 2: Going
for the Gold’
You can’t win every
account, so expect some hiccups. Cut prices but bargain for extra distribution
outlets, increased volume, more shelf space... Listen to your client to know
what’s important for him / her and offer that.
Back at the car we have a cold fruit juice before getting in, but Céline doesn’t say a word… I
take my soggy boots and socks off, driving back home bare feet.
Enjoy each moment
“Stay in
the moment.” from ‘Cutting Edge 2: Going for the Gold’
Focus on where
you’re at and enjoy the process. This is only truly possible when you’re
relaxed. It’s only from this vantage point that you’re able to see the whole picture,
direct where you need to be going and change course midway when your client’s
directive changes.
During all these
hours in the saddle I forget about everything else and live in the moment,
connecting with my horse and reveling in its rhythm. It’s like a mini-holiday
every day. What bliss!
Start all over
“To win,
you have to be willing to fail.” from ‘Cutting Edge 2: Going for the Gold’
Strive to win
another day. You can’t win every time; else it wouldn’t be a challenge. Accept
defeat graciously and move on. You’ve given it your best shot, learned some new
tricks, and are groomed for the next project that’s going to turn all the
lights on.
After working out very early in the mornings, six days a week for one month and being able to
gallop comfortably, I press Joe for a 2nd audition. Finally he comes
back to me, “Sorry, I’ve been in Durban. We got a long-distance endurance rider
to do the shoot. We’ll be using many different horses and we can’t guarantee
how they’ll react.” So now I can gallop without holding on for dear life, and
it feels great!
Lately I’ve been
thinking… I can act. I can sing. I can dance. Do I first have to be jobless
before I can give “The Full Monty” a go? Fortunately a glass or two of wine
puts most things in perspective, especially around sunset. What? I’m here on my
own! Where have all the girls gone to? Is anyone out there?
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